Aug. 16, 2012

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ATLANTA — The mixing and matching that has been the Bengals secondary during training camp continued in Thursday night’s game against Atlanta.

Five of the 11 cornerbacks on the roster were pregame scratches. Adam Jones joined the list after playing in the Jets game but did not practice this week due to an undisclosed injury. Jason Allen also was inactive for a second straight game with a muscle-related injury. Dre Kirkpatrick (knee) is on the Active/Non-Football Injury list while Brandon Ghee (wrist) and Shaun Prater (knee) could be out the entire season.

The rash of injuries meant T.J. Heath, Chris Lewis-Harris and Taveon Rogers would get plenty of snaps in the second preseason game. Lewis-Harris has been the only corner to participate in every training camp practice. Rogers switched from wide receiver to corner two weeks ago.

Brian Leonard got the start in place of Green-Ellis, Roddrick Muckelroy started for Maualuga at middle linebacker, and Jamaal Anderson, who played for the Falcons for four seasons, started at left defensive end with Geathers and Dunlap out.

Clint Boling also got his first start at left guard since Travelle Wharton suffered a season-ending injury to his right knee in last Friday’s win over the Jets.

THE REPLACEMENTS: The officiating crew that worked last Thursday’s Saints-Patriots game was in the Georgia Dome on Thursday night.

There was one slight change, though. Robert Dalton replaced David White as the head referee. Dalton was an alternate for last Friday’s Browns-Lions game. White is scheduled to be off this week.

Dalton is a graduate of Murray State and has 11 years of experience in NCAA Division II. The rest of the crew (with years of experience in parentheses): head linesman Ed Schmid (a year in Division II, III and other professional leagues), line judge A.J. Thomas (14 years in other professional leagues), field judge Keith Norman (four years in Divisions I and II), side judge Barry Wilson (six years in Division III), back judge Peter Shafer (18 years in Divisions I, II and III) and alternate Mike Shepherd (10 years in Division III).

Talks between the league and NFL Referees Association are at a standstill.

HARD KNOCKS LIFE: Andrew Whitworth knows what life is like when your team appears on HBO’s “Hard Knocks.” With many still debating whether Chad Johnson’s release from the Dolphins should have aired on Tuesday’s episode, Whitworth knows that anything caught by the multitude of NFL Films cameras can be fair game.

“At times some of those things can be embarrassing for guys, but it’s part of it. If you want to be in the limelight sometimes not only are the positive things in that light,” Whitworth said.

When the Bengals appeared on the show in 2009, one of the storylines players were worried about was how Ben Utecht’s concussion, which ended his career, would be treated by the show. Some players were concerned about how much or what part of conversations coach Marvin Lewis had with Utecht would be aired.

As for the footage of Johnson being cut, the Dolphins do get to see a rough cut of the episode before it airs, meaning they can object to certain things. Since it is produced by NFL Films, there is always going to be the part of making sure the team remains in a positive light.

Added Whitworth: “It’s one of those deals where I think they wanted to be open and wanted people to realize exactly how it went. That part of it is good, the show is for real and what really happens does happen.

“Honestly, for most people they think that’s tough, but at least that was personal. A lot of guys who have busted their tails for a long time just have some other guy that is staffed by the team tell them to get their books and send them home. That is much more offensive to me than actually getting a chance to sit down with the head coach and being told you’re gone. A lot of guys put in all this time and get shipped home and never have a chance to say goodbye to the head coach or anyone else.”